Christmas Hibiscus Bubble Tea

Boba tea (also known as bibble t3ea) is a popular Asian drink that typically has large pearls of tapioca in it that have a slight chew, kind of like a round, soft gummy candy.  
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This bubble tea is a beautiful deep pink color from the hibiscus, lightly sweetened with agave and then adding cream to it turns it almost a subtle purple hue. It’s so pretty and just what you want for the holidays.

Tapioca starch is made form the root of cassava and you are probably most familiar with it in the form of tapioca pudding.  You can purchase tapioca in the small little pearls like those used for the pudding or in larger pearls like the ones used in this drink.


I actually found some cute pastel colored boba at my local asian market, but they’re also easily found online if your grocery doesn’t carry them. 

Often dramatic looking bubble tea drinks will have black boba, which show through a darker tea very well and make the drink look stunning.  The black color is made from coloring or sometimes dark brown sugar, but the pearls are naturally white.

AFTER BRIEFLY BOILING THE BOBA, ADD TO COLD WATER TO STOP THE COOKING PROCESS

STRAIN THE BOBA AFTER IT HAS COOLED

ADD THE RASPBERRIES TO THE STEEPED HIBISCUS TEA

This bubble tea is a beautiful deep pink color from the hibiscus, lightly sweetened with agave and then adding cream to it turns it almost a subtle purple hue. It’s so pretty and just what you want for the holidays.


I made this for my granddaughters at our family cabin getaway and they enjoyed each making their own glass of bubble tea to their liking, plopping in the boba, adding the tea and then topping off with some cream if they so desired.

For a first round of tea making at home I actually rimmed my glass in pink icing sugar, which added to the festive note, along with a red striped straw.  You can adorn your bubble tea however you like, but the cuter, the better.  I’d love to see some pics of what you come up with.

YOU CAN HAVE THIS TEA WITHOUT ANY CREAM/MILK AS SHOWN HERE, BUT I LOVE TO ADD ALMOND OR COCONUT MILK CREAMER TO IT

Pyrex Measuring Cups

​Boba Glasses

Boba or Smoothie Staws

Christmas Bubble Tea (Hibiscus Raspberry Boba)
Makes 4 medium or 2 very large Bubble tea servings


1/2 cup large tapioca pearls (boba)
4 cups water (for tea)
4-5 hibiscus tea bags
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons agave (more of you like sweeter tea) 
Cream or almond or coconut milk creamer to taste


First steep the tea by combining the tea bags with the 4 cups of water.  I do mine in a microwave safe measuring carafe and place it in the microwave for 4 minutes.  Then let it set until it cools, remove the tea bags and add the agave to taste.  For the bubble tea I don’t dilute the hibiscus tea once it’s steeped.  I like to use almond milk or coconut milk creamer in this tea so that dilutes the hibiscus intensity.


Alternatively you can prepare the tea on the stove top by just letting it come to a simmer, then remove from the heat and proceed with the remaining steps.


Add the raspberries to the hibiscus tea.  You can mash them a bit if you want, but I kind of like to leave them whole.  


Prepare a large bowl with some ice and water to stop your boba from cooking further once you remove for boiling water.
Bring about 5 cups of water to a boil.  Add the boba/tapioca and let them cook for about 5 minutes until the tapioca pearls float to the top and become soft.
Immediately remove with a strainer and place into the ice bath to cool.  Once cool, remove with a strainer from the ice bath and use within about 4 hours.  The boba will become clumpy after it sits, so using it while it’s fresh is best.  You can add a small amount of agave to the boba and stir gently to give them a coating and add a bit of additional sweetness,


To assemble the drink.
Place some tapioca pearls into the bottom of a festive glass (or save for topping the drink instead).
Pour over some tea and make sure you get some of the raspberries in the glass.
Pour in cream or creamer of choice to your liking. 
Grab a fatboba straw and enjoy*


*Boba straws have a very large opening for the tapioca pearls to fit through when slurping.  Some smoothie straws are also large enough to handle the task,
If you don’t have this type of straw, simply drink the tea, then consume the tapioca pearls with a spoon.